


Daddy, You Can Let Go.

by TheElementalist



Series: Sterek Drabbles [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Feels, I'm Sorry, M/M, Sad, Sad Ending, Stilinski Family Feels, seriously I might've cried., shoddy medical references and procedures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-29
Updated: 2014-09-29
Packaged: 2018-02-19 05:55:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2377259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheElementalist/pseuds/TheElementalist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You can let go now, Daddy<br/>You can let go<br/>Oh, I think I'm ready<br/>To do this on my own<br/>It still feels a little bit scary<br/>But I want you to know<br/>I'll be ok now, Daddy<br/>You can let go</p><p>Or: This summary sucks and it's a sad story that I couldn't figure out how to summarize properly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Daddy, You Can Let Go.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay. So. I for sure shed a few tears writing this. I'm sorry for the feels, I just tripped over this song and was shot with them. I also can't sleep, so theres also that. It's also written quite shoddily and I'm pretty sure I'm going to come back in at some point and add/fix some things. Sorry for that a head of time. Also, this fic is un-beta'd, so mistakes are mine, just let me know where they are.
> 
> This story is mainly based off the song "You Can Let Go" by Crystal Shawanda and minorly based off the song "Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood, both made me cry and have feels.
> 
> On another note:  
>  **Beware the Red Hood** \- yes, I'm still writing it, I've got the whole story lined out, I haven't stopped writing it. College and a minor onset of depression have just hit my life though.  
>  **Halloween** \- I've got an idea in the works for another halloween/Samhain Sterek centric fic. It won't be related to The Guardian of Samhain (last years fic), but I do want to let you all know I've got an idea in the works for that date.

Claudia smiled as she watched her son balance precariously on his bike wobbling back and forth before putting his feet on the pedals. John had taken the training tires off of Genim’s bike today after weeks of persistent begging from the five year old and today Genim had insisted that he learn how to ride his bike like all the other boys did. Her boys had been slowly walking up and down the street getting the hang of how to balance on the bike without the extra help, John had been reluctant to let go of Genim’s bike seat so far, even if it was just keeping his fingertips attached to the back while Genim pedaled as fast as his legs could take him.

“Daddy! I can do it on my own! Let go!” The boys high pitched giggles echoed through the streets and along the houses as his legs worked up and down making Claudia smile.

“I don’t know Genim, maybe you should just practice today and we can work on it for a little bit?” John hesitated, looking back at his wife who had been standing on the porch watching them.

Smiling Claudia shook her head, she knew her son could be stubborn; he got it from both her and his father. “Let him go John, he can do it, he’ll never learn otherwise.”

“I can do it dad! It’s scary, but I can do it on my own! I know I can, please?” Genim looked up at this dad and kindly swatted at the hand his dad still had attached to his bike seat.

“Well, alright, if you insist. You remember how to stop? And that you have to slow down to turn around?” John grabbed the seat of the bike more firmly at his sons nod. “Alrighty then, here we go!”

“Yay! Let’s go daddy! Let’s go!” Genim shrieked with happiness as his dad ran beside him for a ways, the wind sliding past his short hair. “Let go daddy! I’ll be okay! Let go, let go!”

John hesitated just a moment before releasing the bike and watching as his son wobbled back and forth before finding his center of balance. When he looked over he was only mildly surprised to see Claudia standing next to him.

“He gets it from you, you know.” He told his wife while watching Genim and making sure the boy didn’t hurt himself.

Claudia chuckled, “What does he get from me?”

Smiling John wrapped an arm around her waist nuzzling her temple. “The sheer determination to achieve what he sets out for, that’s what he gets from you.”

Smacking John playfully on the chest Claudia looked up at his, her brown eyes shining with laughter. “Now, if I remember correctly, he’s half yours too. It can’t be all from me.”

Anything that John might have said was cut off by a crash and both parents winced at the sound. Looking over John saw that Genim had fallen off his bike while turning to quickly, something John had told him about. Claudia rushed over to her son who was lying on the ground gazing up at the sky.

“Baby, are you okay?” Patting around his head the worried mother tried to see if there was any blood coming from anywhere, but her boy seemed fine.

“Yea, I’m okay, I think I was going to fast like Dad told me not too. Can I get on my bike again?” Genim pouted while looking at his mother, eyes shining.

“I think that’s okay, if your father is okay with it? You don’t want to stress him out to much; it’ll make all his hair fall out.” Claudia winked at her son and playfully tweaked his ear while looking at her husband.

“I suppose it’s okay, but just for a few more minutes, I think dinner is almost done, okay?”

“Okay!” Genim hopped up and grabbed at his bike, Claudia backing away and chuckling. “Will you help me again? I don’t think I can get on while standing.”

“Sure thing, on the count of three.” Counting to three John lifted his son up back onto the bike, making sure he had his balance before letting go and giving him a slight push.

Claudia slipped her hand in John’s as they walked back across the street to their house and gave a surprised gasp as John tugged her towards him, their chests bumping together. “He’s got more of you then me you know. He’s got your eyes, your laugh, your values.”

John smiled as Claudia wound her arms around his neck and gave his a gentle kiss on the lips. “While that’s probably true, he’s also got your kindness, your curiosity and your genuine concern for those around him. Now, you keep an eye on him, I need to go make sure that our dinner hasn’t burned.”

Claudia swatted at John’s rear as she walked back into the house trusting that her husband could watch over their son just as well as she could.

*~*~*~*~*

“You’ve grown up so much you know. I wish that your mother could be here today too, she’d be so proud of you.” Stiles looked up from where he had been messing with his tie, his hair ruffled from where he hand already run his hands through it, tufts sticking up in various disarray to see his dad leaning on the door frame of the room he was standing in in the church. “She would have wanted to be the one to walk you down that aisle, she would have insisted on it really. That was our Claudia. I see the best of her in you and I’m so glad you’ve found someone that can take care of you for the rest of your life.”

“Come on dad, I’ll still be your son tomorrow, you know this. I’ll just be, well, with someone else too.” John looked over his son, from the white suit and black tie he was wearing to the minor laugh lines around his mouth. Derek would be good for Stiles, it had taken them awhile to get to this point, there had been fights in college about Stiles dating other people, blow ups after graduation over various forms of mythical creatures that had been consistently attracted to Derek and even a half a year break up that had been painful for the entire pack and everyone who revolved around both men’s lives.

“I know, it’s just hard seeing you grown up and ready to live with someone else,” anything else John might’ve said was cut off by Lydia sticking her head through the door and pursing her lips as she glared Stiles’ hair.

“We don’t have time to fix your hair, Derek’s ready to go and you should start getting ready to walk. John, don’t let him stumble down the aisle, though it’ll eventually be a funny memory, I want today to go off perfectly just like I planned.” With one last glance at the groom to be Lydia turned and left, probably to go make sure everyone else was still in place. 

“Are you ready for this Stiles?” John took one last lingering look at his son, the boy who he had raised for twenty three years standing in front of him ready to move on in his life. 

“Dad, I’ve been ready for this for years.” Stiles smiled, his eyes sparkling as he gave his father a hug and they crossed through the doors of the room Stiles had been hanging out in to stand behind the doors of the church entrance. There had initially been an argument between Stiles and Derek about who would be walking whom down the aisle. Stiles had wanted them to both walk down the aisle, but Derek had pointed out that Stiles had a father and that it was his right to alk Stiles down the aisle and that his dad would love to do so. Eventually Stiles had caved because Derek did have a point and he felt chagrined that he hadn’t thought of that first.

Just as John opened his mouth to say something else to Stiles just as the doors to the church opened wide, the wedding march playing as all the guests looked out the doors to Stiles and his father standing behind them. Stiles’ attention was immediately on Derek, standing there in a black suit with a white tie and the biggest smile on his face. John chuckled and tugged on Stiles arm, beginning to walk his son down the aisle knowing that Stiles would be to distracted by his husband to be to notice that he still hadn’t taken a single step forward. Luckily they made it to the end of the aisle without any injury coming into play, but when Stiles went to take a step forward he was only minorly surprised to feel that his dad still hadn’t let go of his arm.

Sharing an amused glance with Derek, Stiles turned back to his dad giving him a hug and whispering in his ear.”Dad. You need to let go.” John didn’t answer, just shifted backwards a bit. 

“Daddy.” Stiles hadn’t called John that since Claudia had died and it pained Johns heart to hear it now, but it also brought up fond memories. Looking up and meeting Stiles eyes he swallowed at his sons next words. “Dad, you need to let me go. I’m going to be okay. I can do this on my own, it’s going to be scary, but I’ll be okay, you know this. Derek and I can get through this and our future together, I’m not going to be alone.” 

Nodding John shifted to give his son a hug before glancing at Derek, smiling tightly as Stiles walked up to the dais before John took his place next to Melissa, barely noticing when her hand slipped into his.

*~*~*~*~* 

The ringing of his cell phone jerked Stiles out of sleep and had him bending down to the floor while trying not to fall off the bed before it could hang up. He was grateful when Derek’s arm slipped around his waist, grounding him, especially when Stiles saw that the caller was Melissa. Frowning because he knew that Melissa was working the night shift tonight, and trying not to think of scenarios that could be the cause of a midnight phone call Stiles slid his finger across the surface of the phone and held it to his ear.

“Melissa? Why are you calling this late? Is everything okay?” A sob greeted him from the other end of the line and his heart started racing in panic. “Melissa? What’s wrong? Is everything okay? Is my dad okay?”

“Stiles,” His name cracked half way out of Melissa’s mouth and Stiles was vaulting out of the bed and searching for pants before she could start speaking again. “Stiles, I, we didn’t, just get down to the hospital. Please.”

“We’re on the way, we’ll be there in five minutes. Just, is he going to be okay?” Stiles looked across the bedroom to see his husband dressed and palming the keys to the camaro, holding out a hand to him ready to leave. 

“He’s holding on Stiles. You just need to get here.”

“Derek and I are leaving the house now, we’ll see you in a few minuets.” Hanging up his phone and gripping Derek’s hand like the life line he was sure it was Stiles focused on keeping his breathing even. He was so focused that he didn’t even register the fact that they had arrived at the hospital until his door was opening and Derek was holding out a hand once again.

Ducking down to meet Stiles’ eyes and locking their fingers together Derek leaned forward to kiss Stiles’ forehead, the chill in the night air making his breath fog. “He’s going to be okay Stiles. He’s your dad, he’s stronger than all of us put together, you just have to believe in him.”

Stiles just nodded, his eyes closing and the tears he had been trying to prevent finally overflowed as he leaned into Derek’s embrace. Hiccuping through his sobs he pulled Derek closer to him, trying to cling to the offered body heat “I’m so scared to go inside there Derek. You know just as much as I do that he might not be coming back out. I don’t know if I can do this. I can’t handle losing him, I didn’t think it would be this early.”

Derek didn’t say anything, just wrapped both his arms around Stiles, trying to offer the most comfort he could before backing up and taking both Stiles’ hands to help him out of the car and into the hospital. The first person they spotted was Melissa, who hurried toward them ,tear tracks still apparent on her face and Stiles knew that his dad wasn’t going to be alright and the knowledge had him sinking to the floor, only to be caught by Derek as Melissa crushed the boy into a hug.

“Stiles, I’m so sorry. It was a heart attack and none of us were prepared for it, We’d thought he’d gotten better, but it was just so sudden. He managed to reach the phone in the house and to call for an ambulance, but he flatlined on the way here. They brought him back, but there’s a high chance that he’s not going to live out the night.” Melissa hadn’t let Stiles go, still wrapping him in a hug and sunk down to the ground with him and his knees buckled, no longer able to hold his weight as what he feared came crashing down on him.

“Can I,”Stiles took in air with a gasp, trying to make his thoughts form coherent words. “Can I see him?”

Melissa nodded and let go once it was apparent that Derek was going to help Stiles up and to his dads room. “Of course honey, do you want me to call Scott or the rest of the pack?”

“No, I just need to see my dad.” Stiles clung to Derek’s arm, tears still dripping down his face as he followed Melissa down the halls to where his dad would be. 

Stiles let Derek lead him through the maze of halls until they came to the room his dad was in and Stiles found the strength to open the door, and what he say sucked the air out of him. His dad lay there in the hospital bed, an IV in his arm, an oxygen mask on his face, his heart beeping out loud to the machine keeping track of it. John’s skin was grey, like he had lost all of his coloring and Stiles let go of Derek just long enough to stumble to the chair beside the hospital bed and cling to his fathers hand, resting his forehead on the bed as he sobbed into the sheets.

Derek followed Melissa out with one last glance at Stiles, and almost walked into the woman as she’d stopped right outside the door. Reluctantly Derek stated shaking his head, already knowing what she was going to ask him. “The bit wouldn’t take. His heart is to weak, just trying to keep up with the change would kill him, and it would be painful too. It would probably be best for both of them to let him go as he is. Stiles knows that there is an almost zero chance of his dad walking out of here, it would be cruel to offer a false hope.”

Sighing like that was the answer she expected Melissa looked at the wall as if she could look through it. “Come get coffee with me? I know you don’t want to leave him, but he needs space right now, and time to be alone with his dad.”

Derek knew this, he knew how Stiles’ worked, but he was still reluctant to do so, but eventually he caved, knowing that if anything happened to Stiles or John that Melissa would be paged.

Inside the room Stiles head his dads hand tight, his head resting on it as though through sheer will power he could wish his dad well again. He knew it wasn't going to happen though, with minor heart attacks in the past this was the big one that he had been dreading and he knew that there was a very slim chance his dad was going to get out of the bed. His thoughts were interrupted when a nurse, not Melissa, came into the room and smiled sadly while looking at his dads charts. “You know, by all rights he shouldn’t be here right now; he’s holding on for you.”

Holding down his sobs Stiles blinked the tears out of his eyes and nodded, knowing full well that his dad was holding on for him, and didn’t move until the nurse had left the room. Shuffling carefully Stiles crawled up into the bed with his dad, his head tucked carefully under his dads chin, their fingers entwined as Stiles dug deep to find his voice.

”Dad, I know you're hanging on for my sake, and I know that it hurts, but I’ll be okay if you let go. I hope you can hear me, but you need to let go. I’m going to be okay and I know you're going to be okay because I know that you’re going to be with mom. You’ve missed her all these years, I know you have, and now is your chance to be with her again.” Taking a deep breath and taking his other hand to trace lines on the hand he was clasped in his,Stiles continued, “Daddy, I’m so scared right now, I know you're not going to be walking out of here, I know about all the medical things that you've been trying to hide from me, but I’ll be okay, Go see mom again. I can do this, and I want you to know that I love you, I always have and I always will, but you need to let go for me, okay?”

Stiles felt tears roll down his cheeks as his dad gave one last final breathe before his heart stopped, the monitor showing a flat line where a steady beat had been just a moment ago. He knew that he should get off the bed so that the nurses could come to his dad, but he felt numb, hardly seeing anything until he felt Derek’s arms around him and lifting him out of the bed while the nurses scrambled for the defibrillators.

“Don’t, please. He’s gone. It’s okay.” Stiles managed to choke out while he clung to Dereks neck. A few seconds later the doctor called the time of death and Stiles finally let the sobs and panic that he had been holding off come over him in painful waves. He knew vaguely that Melissa was in the room and that she was also crying and he knew that he should call his pack to let them know what had happened but right now all he wanted to do was cling to Derek, and so that’s what he did.


End file.
